Brick, the founder and CEO of The Advis Group, a health care management consulting company in Mokena, had never really danced when Guardian Angel asked her to be part of the gala, she said.

"I've attended this event in the past and its [GACS] is such an amazing organization," Brick said. "I was honored that they asked."

Brick said she felt honored because she supports the GACS mission. According to a news release from GACS, Guardian Angel serves thousands of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault every year.

GACS also offers protective services for youth in foster care and vulnerable adults with disabilities. GACS also provides partner abuse intervention, parenting/education-based programming for at-risk individuals and families and prevention and community outreach services

In preparation, Brick began taking lessons last summer at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Mokena. Granted, Brick could have simply concentrated on her routine and perhaps more experienced dancers do just that, she said.

But because Brick wanted to produce a polished routine, she felt the need for a good foundation in ballroom dances, such as the waltz and the foxtrot, she said. She goes nearly every day after work for about 90 minutes, she said.

"I'm way better than when I started," Brick said.

Brick recalled the last time she tried dancing: through ballroom dancing classes 25 year ago that Joliet Junior College offered at the community level. She recalled laughing her way through it.

"I thought it was hysterical," Brick said.

She's taking her current lessons much more seriously. The first few lessons were straightforward, but once Brick moved beyond the "basic footwork," she found dancing "deceptively difficult."

"It's very hard to learn," Brick said. "What looks simple really isn't. You have to make your hand go in the right position and your feet go into a position. You put your body into positions it's never in before and and you do it in heels and go backward and in time to music when your feet hurt. It's not like I'm wearing flats all day. I'm dancing in two and a half inch heels."

Brick felt the moves might be easier if she was in her 30s and not her late 50s.

"I now have new admiration for people who dance," she said.
Brick also intends to continue dancing after the gala, perhaps even entering competitions.

"I have stressful job," Brick said. "I'm the CEO of a large health care consulting firm. We work in 42 states across the country and I'm also a lawyer. We represent hospitals and large health care systems and what I've found is that dancing is a great stress reliever.

"It's hard; it's a challenge; it's good exercise; and it's artistic at the same time. It's like, why do people like gardening? I like the physicality of it, too. I sit at a computer all day long so to think differently and to use a different part of my brain is important to me

"I deal with regulatory rules and reimbursement and the law all day long. It's a lot of fun to go listen to music and to have to challenge myself."

Brick praised her teacher Oleg Koshil, saying he is the main reason why she is enjoying herself so much.

"He was trained in the Ukraine and danced on an amateur and semi-professional level there," Brick said. "He started dancing when he was 5 years old and was very classically trained. He's very technical and doesn't accept mediocrity. He is so professional that it really inspired me to do better."

Brick said her daughter watched her one night and said, "Mom, you look terrified." Brick didn't deny it. One part of Brick's routine is difficult and Brick said she is afraid of hurting herself.

But she's now aware of dance's subculture especially in regards to competition: the special clothes, the makeup, which the average person, even Brick until she learned to dance, may not understand, Brick said.

"I resisted my dancing shoes in the beginning," Brick said. ""I thought, 'Why in the world do you need dance shoes?' But I now realize you have to have dance shoes; they make a difference. With the $80 I spent on dance shoes, my feet are more comfortable and they move better on the floor."

Mostly she's happy to to help GACS.

"This is just a great opportunity to combine my love of dancing with advocating for vulnerable females in our community," Brick said. "I'm the real winner here because I get to do that. No matter who wins, this has been such a phenomenal experience and its such an amazing lifesaving organization, that I'm thrilled I get to have this fun experience."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: "Angelica: Dancing With Our Local Stars Gala” a

WHEN: 5:30 p.m. April 6

WHERE: Bobak’s Signature Events &amp; Conference Center in Woodridge.

TICKETS: $125. Deadline is March 31

ETC: Actor Colin Egglesfield will be one of the event judges. Alicia Guerrero will speak. Her story appeared on the True Crime Series investigation Discovery (ID) network